Delphos St. John’s Jack Gerker is making his third trip to state.
DELPHOS — Relaxed and ready.
Coming off one of its most successful regular and postseasons in school history, Delphos St. John’s appears ready for a a shot at placing at the Division III state boys golf tournament as they come in poised and confident.
Delphos St. John’s qualified for state after capturing the always competitive Division III district title in Bowling Green last week with a team score of 328. Minster finished second with a 339 and Ottoville was third with a 343. This marks the second straight season the team has qualified for state.
The district title capped off a year that saw the Blue Jays win the Midwest Athletic Conference title for the first time in 21 years to go with the sectional and district titles.
“At the beginning of the year our team goals were to win the MAC and then as a team make it to state and we have accomplished all those goals,” said first-year head coach Aaron Dubow. “Everyone was looking for us to make it to state and their was high expectations and then we one our first invitational so our expectations got a little higher so the boys have done well and met their expectations. They have done well.”
Senior Jack Gerker, who is making his third trip to state with his first time as an individual, is the team’s top golfer. Gerker, who was named the MAC Player of the Year for the second consecutive time and was the MAC and district medalist.
“We won sectionals and we won districts and that is the first time the school has ever done that and we won MAC and that is something I have dreamed winning as a team and accomplishing those goals were three big steps for this team,” Gerker said. “We have a great bond and family-like relationship and like to mess around with each other and have a good time.”
Teammate Collin Feathers, the sectional medalist, is one of two juniors in the top five, along with senior Caden Wright and freshman Tyce McClain.
“They mesh well as a team,” Dubow said. “They all get together and are friends together on and off the course and after practice they will do putting challenges so I don’t need to babysit them. They do stuff on their own.”
Dubow points to five freshman stepping up this year and improving the competition in-house that translates to success during tournaments and dual meets.
“We have one in our top three (freshman, McClain) and he has definitely helped the team and we have two seniors, Caden and Jack, and Collin who has been up there with Jack has really stepped up as well.”
With a veteran team integrating the youth into the system Delphos St. John’s had plenty of wins, both tournament and dual meets, throughout the year. The only blemish was a MAC dual meet loss to Minster but that was rectified by the Blue Jays wining the MAC title overall.
“Winning the MAC gave us a lot of confidence and then we just won the last two tournaments and so we are really confident in our play,” Dubow said. Winning the district was nice. That wasn’t one of our goals. I told the team all week long we just needed to get in the top four and we played relaxed.
Feathers said they have had some great teams in the past three years but this team is special.
“It has been 21 years since we won the MAC and we conquered that and we went on and won sectionals and then we wanted to get in the top four at districts and we ended up winning that and it has been a great year,” said Feathers, who pointed out that the team’s chemistry developed early.
“It starts early before the team even starts practicing as a school,” Feathers said. “We go out there early in March and start playng and with Tyce being a freshman and we just met him. He joined the team very smoothly and we all got pretty close.”
Because the majority of the squad went last year to state, the Blue Jays,w ho finished 12th last year, understand the competition and the course will be difficult to conquer and even though they have a laid back approach they are not going with “we are just happy to be here” attitude.
At districts, the Blue Jays posted a 328. Newark Catholic won its district with a score of 307 and Beverly Fort Frye won the east district with a 322. Dalton won the northeast district with a score of 327.
“Our expectations are good and if we play our best we can be in the top three and that would take two good rounds from all four guys but the top five would be very realistic.”
Gerker looks to soak in his last days as a high school golfer.
“I only have a few days left so I am going to try and soak them in and have fun an not get too worked up if I play bad and have fun.”
Feathers added, “There is not pressure. We haven’t had many teams get there so this is a big accomplishment and we are going to have some fun and hopefully bring home a top five.”
OTTOVILLE
OTTOVILLE — One stroke.
Ottoville lost to Kalida in the Putnam County League championships by one stroke and the Big Green squad decided to use that as motivation to make it to state and it worked as they had two strong showings at sectionals and districts to punch their ticket to Columbus.
Ottoville is making a return trip to Columbus after making it last year and while they had the majority of the team back this seasn they made it a goal to go back to state but it wasn’t talked about after the year began.
“I thought our kids had that as a goal but we really didn’t feel that as any pressure,” Ottoville head coach Keith Utendorf said. “I think we know what we needed to do to get to a point to compete at that level. I think our kids are at a good spot. They believe in themselves. They have put the work in and continued to improve throughout the season to give themselves a chance.”
On reflecting on the PCL tournament close loss that turned out to be a motivator for the Big Green, Utendorf said the weather was a factor but admits that the players understood they didn’t play very well.
“We went back and forth with several teams throughout the year and Kalida is always a barometer but I think that one stroke our kids really felt that and made the sectional tournament our response. Our kids put together a solid round at sectionals.”
The Big Green won sectionals with a score of 320, nine strokes ahead of Kalida. Big Green’s Keaton Schnipke was the sectional medalist with a 75.
At districts Utendorf said the team battled through the early part of the round but started to “anchor back in” and grinded to a third place showing.
“We put up a competitive back nine for us t give ourselves a shot,” Utendorf. “I was proud of our kids. We knew once PCLs were done it was time t reset and grind and really put in the mental aspect of the game.”
Utendorf said this team loves to play golf and came in to this season looking to improve and continue what they have started.
Grant Leis is the lone senior on the squad but he, along with juniors Michael Turnwald, Jace Langhals and Schnipke, provided guidance and leadership for some of the younger players such as sophomore Blake Kortokrax.
“This is a pretty special group to be a part of,” Utendorf said. “They put in the time to get better. It is one through five or six or seven. We had seven guys playing varsity this year. Even now in tournament we have used our five guy. Blake Kortokrax came in and gave us some good rounds. Jace Langhals has been playing really well leading up to the tournament.”
The Big Green brings that experience with them to state and while they are tackling the Northstar course, not the course they played last year, they are ready for all the hoopla that surrounds state.
“I think that experience is a positive for us,” Utendorf said. “While we have never played Northstar but I think understanding what the lights are going to be like and what the pressure is that they felt is somewhat of an advantage for us and what to expect and plan accordingly.”
Utendorf understands experience is one thing but posting a low score and facing the best in the state is anther and he looks for this team to compete and hopefully finish in the top half at the end.
“We are going to enjoy playing with Minster early on Friday to know had have played with before and it should add a little comfort,” Utendorf said. “Honestly if we can finish in the top half would be a perfect accomplishment for our team and it would put an exclamation point on our season.”
